James Orr named senior vice provost for undergraduate student success

Dear Carolina Community,

I am excited to announce that James Orr, vice provost for strategic enrollment management at The Ohio State University, has been named as Carolina’s inaugural senior vice provost for undergraduate student success. He begins July 15.

With nearly 20 years of experience in leadership roles in academic affairs, undergraduate education, student life and strategic enrollment management, Orr brings a passion for academic excellence and student development and new ways of thinking about the holistic student experience. In this new position, Orr will serve as the strategic point of contact for all undergraduate student needs from enrollment to graduation. He will oversee Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and will collaborate with Undergraduate Education in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes. As senior vice provost for undergraduate student success, Orr will connect the dots across the student academic experience, advancing our ability to help every student thrive at Carolina.

Over the course of his career, Orr has made a transformative impact, helping institutions raise their academic profiles while enhancing student access, affordability and success. Under his leadership, Ohio State successfully enrolled its largest first-year class on its main campus, and the university’s regional campuses realized a nearly 20% increase in new first-year student enrollment over the last two years.

“I am thrilled to support the undergraduate student experience throughout the entire student life cycle by collaborating with faculty, staff, administrators, and alumni to ensure a seamless journey. I look forward to seeing our students continue to thrive — both academically and personally — as they serve their communities and make a lasting, positive impact on the world.”

—James Orr, senior vice provost for undergraduate student success

A collaborative and innovative leader, Orr has a deep understanding of engaging a multitude of external and internal partners to achieve institutional success. Orr has extensive experience managing budgets exceeding $1 billion, identifying ways to maximize investments, generate new revenue and maximize efficiencies. He brings to Carolina a strong track record of helping universities to harness brand and reputation while adopting cutting-edge concepts, enterprise-wide technology and data-focused solutions to reduce debt, elevate the student experience, improve completion rates, and enhance outcomes upon graduation.

In his previous roles, Orr has bridged the gap between workforce development needs and academic excellence. This includes advising on curriculum development and increasing access to internships, undergraduate research roles, study abroad experiences and on-campus work opportunities.

Prior to his time at Ohio State, Orr held roles including vice provost for academic affairs and strategic enrollment at the University of Memphis, assistant vice provost for strategic initiatives and project management at Virginia Commonwealth University, and assistant vice provost for academic strategy at Virginia Tech. A first-generation college student, Orr earned a Master of Science in Public Policy and Administration and a doctorate in Philosophy, Public Policy and Administration from Mississippi State University.

I want to thank the members of the search committee, chaired by Vice Provost Leah Cox, for their diligence in this search and outstanding work in identifying exceptional candidates for this position.

As we grow to meet the needs of our state, we need a collaborative and innovative leader like James who is committed to supporting all students and providing a strategic vision for their success. Please join me in congratulating James and welcoming him to the Carolina community.

Sincerely,

James W. Dean, Jr.
Interim Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost